Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today broke silence 11 days after a group of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees started a hunger strike, saying that the ministry will respond to the matter next week.

When quizzed by Solidarity Mahasiswa Malaysia chairman Safwan Anang on Twitter, the home minister twitted back: "Next week the Home Ministry will explain everything."

kamunting anti isa rally 010712 His brief answer came as some 200 people protested outside of Kamunting detention camp in Perak this morning to demand immediate release of the last 45 detainees.

The organiser, Gerakan Mansuhkan ISA (GMI), also wants the Home Ministry to respond to the three Malaysians, four Sri Lankans and one Indian national who are on hunger strike, protesting for their freedom.

The protest began at 11am as the crowd held up banners that read among others "Release the 45 ISA detainees", "11th day of hunger strike", "ISA, symbol of injustice, torture" while chanting anti-ISA slogans.

The families of three detainees were also there to visit them.

 Detainee assaulted

GMI chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Nor claimed that Razali Kassan, one of the two detainees who started the hunger strike on June 21, was assaulted by a camp official.

"Razali's parents who visited him this morning told us that he was beaten up by an official a few days ago in an attempt to intimidate him to stop the strike," Syed Ibrahim claimed when contacted by Malaysiakini this afternoon.

kamunting anti isa rally 010712 Razali has ended his hunger strike after he was hospitalised.

Meanwhile, another detainee Fadzullah Abdul Razak still continues fasting despite being in a weak condition, said Syed Ibrahim.

"He looks sleepy and his blood pressure is low, but he insists on not eating," he said.

On another note, GMI also rapped the authorities for shortening the visiting period from 45 minutes to 30 minutes without notifying the family members.

Last Saturday, two detainees began a fresh hunger strike to demand for freedom following an earlier one in May.

They were soon joined by seven other detainees on June 26.

Last Friday, lawyer Afiq M Noor claimed that two Internal Security Act detainees had refused to entertain lawyers who visited them at the Kamunting Detention Camp yesterday following alleged threats of longer detention by Special Branch (SB) officers.